


Hallucinogenics

by the_gay_poetry



Category: Apex Legends (Video Games)
Genre: AFAB Bloodhound (Apex Legends), Alcohol, Alternate Universe - Gang World, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Assassination Attempt(s), Assassins & Hitmen, Attempted Sexual Assault, Blood and Gore, Bloodhound Headcanons (Apex Legends), Canon Gay Character, Canon Non-Binary Character, Character Death, Complicated Relationships, Drug Addiction, Drug Dealing, Drug Use, Drugs, Enemies to Lovers, Eventual Romance, Everyone Is Gay, F/F, First Meetings, Flirting, Gangs, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Implied/Referenced Drug Addiction, LSD, Lesbian Character, Needles, Paranoia, Secrets, Slow Burn, rival gangs
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-21
Updated: 2020-01-06
Packaged: 2021-02-18 08:44:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 8
Words: 15,714
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21508339
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_gay_poetry/pseuds/the_gay_poetry
Summary: After her father's death, Natalie Paquette joins a gang known as the Dizzy Syndicate, a drug ring known for its potent hallucinogenic drugs. As she delves into the world of gangs, drugs, and hitmen, she soon connects a rival gang of assassins to her father's death. The Empty Eyes gang is a feared hitmen service, whose mysterious leader, the Voidwalker, is the most notorious assassin in the country. But who is the Voidwalker? Natalie is determined to uncover their identity, prove they were behind her father's death, and avenge him once and for all.TRIGGER WARNING: DRUGS, ALCOHOL ABUSE, VIOLENCE
Relationships: Bangalore | Anita Williams/Lifeline | Ajay Che, Bloodhound/Mirage | Elliott Witt, Wattson | Natalie Paquette/Wraith | Renee Blasey
Comments: 25
Kudos: 172





	1. Chapter 1

The rain hit the back of her head softly, sending a chill down her back. Natalie pulled her hood up and tightened it, attempting to shield herself from the cold, but it still somehow seeped in.

She knew she should have worn a sweater.

The train station was bustling with people hurrying to get out of the rain and boarding their respective transits. But even with all of the people surrounding her, somehow, Natalie felt utterly alone. The messenger bag slung around her shoulder felt incredibly dense.

Her heart was pounding hard in her chest.

When the pretzel cart came into view, she stopped and wrung her sweat covered hands together. Before she could even think about turning back, a rush of people forced her to move forward. There was no backing down now.

She approached the meeting place and finally found shelter from the rain under the large, brightly colored umbrella. Much to the pretzel man’s dismay, she pulled down her hood and shook her wet hair, splattering the display window with water. Natalie gave him an apologetic smile and bought a pretzel to munch on while she waited.

After about five minutes, somebody ran into the blonde, knocking the cup of nacho cheese dip out of her hands. A short man with bright green hair angrily started to shout at her in Spanish.

 _“¡Oye, fíjese por donde va, Chiquita!”_ He snarled at her before walking away.

 _Chiquita_. That was the cue code. 

“ _Le connard!”_ She shouted back, picking the spilled cup of cheese off the ground. He could have at least tried to be more careful. Natalie watched the man closely, noting where he went. He darted into one of the...single stall bathrooms. She sighed. This was the one specific place the Syndicate told him not to do the drop-offs. Too suspicious. Nonetheless, the job had to get done. Natalie, as casually as possible, snuck in after him.

“ _Hola_ , _Chiquita,_ ” He grinned at her. The man was sitting on the sink, swinging his legs back and forth childishly. His legs, much to Natalie’s surprise, where metal and plastic, just like her own right arm. As interesting as the similarity was, he wasn’t making the best first impression on her. The idiot had decided to wear a cutoff tee and some rather tasteful jean shorts despite the weather. His hair was wet, messy, and dyed bright green. It fell into his face, almost covering his bright brown eyes. However, it did not cover the sheer amount of gaudy piercings adorning his brows, nose, ears, and mouth. Natalie knew that the Syndicate wanted people who didn’t attract much attention as their dealers. This man was like a glowing, pierced human glowstick. 

“ _L’ane_ , what do you think you’re doing coming to a bathroom of all places? They specifically told you _not_ to do bathrooms! What if someone noticed us both come in here?” Natalie scolded, crossing her arms firmly against her chest.

He waved a hand dismissingly. “Psh, it's no big dealio. I just wanted to meet my mule one-on-one is all,” He hopped off the sink and extended a hand towards Natalie. “I’m Octavio, code name Octane. A pleasure to meet you.”

She sighed. The whole point of codenames was to protect their identities in the first place. They were especially supposed to use them out in public, but she assumes that rule didn’t matter to him either. Natalie hesitantly took his hand but regretted it when he gripped it tight enough to cut off her circulation. “You will call me Wattson.”

Octavio chuckled. “Not on a first name basis yet, huh?” He stuck his tongue out at her playfully - which, unsurprisingly, was pierced too. “I mean I get it, they say this is your first time muling, and pretty much doing any drug work at all. Can’t blame ya. Even I was afraid when I first became one too.”

She raised an eyebrow. “You were a mule too?”

He nodded. “Oh yeah, long time ago. Used to mule for the Predators, then dealt around solo for a bit. Have to say you guys are way better than any gig I’ve ever had. But, everyone’s gotta start off somewhere.”

“You used to be with the Apex Predators?” She couldn’t help but gasp at the mention of the rival gang. When she first joined the Syndicate, she was told countless horror stories of their enemy, but she never thought she would meet a member - or ex-member she supposed - face to face.

Octavio smiled somewhat cockily. “Oh yeah, it was a pretty shitty job, to be honest. Everyone there was kind of scary and a lil bit of a hardass, but hell it paid a lot at the time. Probably more than you’re getting paid now. Aaaaand, I’m still alive and kickin’ baby!”

“D-did you ever meet…” She trailed off.

His smile suddenly faded. “You mean the Voidwalker? No, I didn’t.” Natalie knew he was lying. She could hear it in his voice, but she decided not to push him further on the subject. It was...sensitive for her too.

“Do you always look like this?” Natalie asked, changing the subject.

His smile returned. “Like what.”

“Like…” She gestured to him again. “...a pierced...delinquent?”

Octavio let out a hearty laugh. “Yeah, I do. Do you always look like you just came back from the moon?” The dealer tugged on the hood of her jacket, playfully.

The blonde’s cheeks flushed in embarrassment. “It’s my favorite jacket.” She huffed, making the man laugh even harder.

“You look like a big orange marshmallow-”

“Oh shut up,” She muttered and tossed him the messenger bag. “Here, just take it.”

He crouched on the ground and opened the bag up, removing several books. The dealer cracked open one of them to reveal that they had been hollowed out. The book, as well as the rest of them, were stuffed full of tablets of LSD, MDMA, PCP.

Natalie watched idly as he counted the packets of drugs, his quick hands flipping through the packs and counting the individual pills. After a few minutes, he had gone through all of the books and put them in his own bag. He gave the messenger bag back to Natalie. “Looks like everything is here, _Chiquita_.”

She knew it would be. She counted and recounted them herself out of fear of losing even a single pill. “Good to know.”

Octavio pulled on his backpack and gave the girl a grin. “Well I better be on my way, I’ll see ya again in about a week or two.”

“Yeah, I’ll, uh, see you then...Octane.” She gave the man a small smile. Might as well try to get along with the man she was going to be working with.  
He laughed. _“Ja,_ ja, later Wattson,” He left, and about ten minutes after, so did she.

Natalie had joined the Syndicate only about a month ago, and she already felt like she was at home. Ajay, or Lifeline, her old college roommate, had dropped out of school to join the gang. After her father had...passed...Natalie contacted her former roommate about a place to stay. She didn’t feel comfortable staying in her home alone. Ajay was the only person, other than her father, who she had grown close to, the only one she could turn to. The older woman gave her an invitation to the Syndicate, and after about a week of hesitation, she finally accepted and joined. Within the first week, she had finally found her calling. She had found her new family. 

At first, she didn’t know what to expect from joining a gang. The Syndicate’s base of operation was in the bar that one of the members, Elliot Witt, aka Mirage, owned. While the business they had fronted went on downstairs, the real operations went on upstairs. The Syndicate specialized in hallucinogenic drugs. The drug-making and packaging operation was set up on the second floor of the building, as well as the leader’s quarters. Gibraltar, aka the Shield Fortress, aka the Hallucination King, aka Makoa Gibraltar, was not the person you’d think would be the leader of a hallucinogenic drug empire. He was a big teddy bear of a man that Natalie was honestly not afraid of when she first met him. The gang leader had even given her a hug when she had agreed to join. Of course, he was firm in his teachings of drug work and staying low. He may have been a soft guy, but he took his job seriously, and that only made Natalie want to do better. Plus, she had yet to see his bad side, and she wasn’t sure she wanted to, because according to Elliot, it wasn’t pretty. He had her packaging drugs in her first couple of weeks. Once she had mastered that, she been promoted to a drug mule after the previous one had overdosed. Natalie was determined to become one of the best mules they ever had. 

The third floor was the living area, and the sleeping quarters, which were much nicer than Natalie would have ever expected. She had gotten a spacious room with a comfortable bed and plenty of storage for her collection of science experiments and projects. In the first few days, she had happily made herself at home.

The gang was becoming something like a family to her, even only a month into her stay there. Elliot and Ajay were becoming the siblings she’s never had. Crypto, or Tae Joon, was a bit standoffish at first, but he soon became something of a lab partner to Natalie. Their mutual interest in technology had sparked conversations with them, and soon they had started to exchange projects and advice. Then there was Octavio, the newest dealer that Natalie wasn’t sure about yet. As annoying as he was, she knew there was pain behind his eyes. She had a strong urge to help the other man, no matter how ugly his jorts were. Gibraltar had become a sort of father figure to her, and would often confide in the man. He was understanding and expected great things from her. She wanted to impress him, make him proud.

The Syndicate, her squad, was her family. They may have been a well-organized drug ring, but the people within it were kind, caring, and hilarious. These people had accepted her with open arms. And she was more than thankful to have them.

However, she knew not everything was going to be sugar-coated and safe. When she first joined the Syndicate, she was feverishly warned again and again and about a rival gang known as the Apex Predators, a notorious gang that specialized in hit work. Countless horror stories about turf wars or accidental run-ins had scared Natalie enough to fear the enemy gang enough to consider backing out of the gang altogether. There were four leading members of the group: Bangalore, Bloodhound, Caustic, Pathfinder. The military trained ex-soldier with too many confirmed kills to count. A tracker who tracked more than just wild animals, but criminals and debtors as well. The infamous chemist who used to work for the Syndicate as the lead drug developer, but was kicked out when his craving for chemicals became a desire to kill with them. Robot gone rogue, the getaway driver for most hit missions who makes sure to get them out unseen.

And then there was the leader of the bunch. The Voidwalker. Nobody knows who they are, for they always stay in the shadows, unnoticed, waiting to strike. They are one of the most feared and wanted assassins in the country. 

And Natalie is sure that they are the one responsible for her father’s death.

Luc Paquette was a man of science, who’s controversial breakthrough in electricity caused many people to want him dead. The details of his passing were unnatural. Even Natalie knew that. They don’t know the cause of death: no heart attack or anything, but no signs of foul play either. They speculate that it could have been a seizure of aneurysm. 

Natalie knew better.

After learning of the feared assassin, she had researched them in her first couple of days at the Syndicate, and while there wasn’t much to learn, she did find out one thing. The causes of death were unknown in all of the kills suspected to be caused by the Voidwalker.

As much as she was afraid of whoever the Voidwalker was, as well as the rest of the Apex Predators gang, she also desperately wanted revenge. Natalie needed to find out who the Voidwalker was, even if it cost her her life. Since her father’s death, there has been a constant urge to find who was behind it. She felt so close to a lead, but knew there was no way for her to pursue it. At least not now. 

As much as she wanted to tell the other Syndicate members of her hunch, she knew it wouldn’t be a good idea, especially since she was still a grunt. All she had to do was wait and bide her time. She would get her revenge eventually. She would find her father’s killer and bring them to death.

But little did she know, something big was coming.

Little did the Voidwalker know, something _big_ was coming.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> mmm new fic gang.  
> i know i should be writing in my other one, but i just got very inspired and wanted to write this immediately.  
> gonna be putting like some effort into this story cuz i really enjoy shit like this like a freak LOL


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natalie begins to learn the ropes of her new lifestyle.

The Paradise Lounge was open Monday through Saturday from 12 pm to 2 am. While it was more bar than grill, it still had some of the best steaks around. On Wednesdays and Fridays, you could get one half off with the purchase of a beer; if you order the Witt Homemade Moonshine and lived, Elliot would give you the most excellent steak he had on the house. 

Every morning, while Ajay and Tae Joon set the lab up upstairs, Natalie would go down with Elliot to the bar to prepare for the day. The older man had discovered the blonde was a natural at bartending and was practically on his knees begging Gibraltar to let her tend with him. He had reluctantly agreed, as he wanted to start training Natalie in the drug making part of the operation, but figured it was too early to let the young woman near the chemicals. 

Instead of mixing chemicals, Elliot began teaching her how to mix drinks, how to add the cherry just right to the fruity drinks, and stir the customer’s heart with some well-placed flirting. Elliot turned out to be the best at that last thing. 

The first day that she had been left alone at the bar was a Wednesday when the bar had been stuffed full of people waiting to get their half-off steak. Elliot had been forced to go help the cooks with a sudden backorder of meals, leaving Natalie to tend to the rowdy bar patrons on her own. 

“Here’s your drink, sir. Is there anything else I can get for you while I’m here?” She smiled sweetly as she slid the glass of liquor to the man on the far side of the bar. 

He grinned and winked at the blonde. “Can I get your number?” He slurred, clearly already too far gone to think straight. 

Natalie gave a tight-lipped smile. She always felt dirty when a customer flirted with her, and some days, no matter how much soap she used when she showered, she still felt covered in filth. “No, but I can give you the number to a cab.”

He waved a hand dismissively and started nursing his drink in silence. Natalie rolled her eyes and walked away to help someone else.

The regulars of the bar were usually very kind to her, but sometimes a newcomer would swing by and relentlessly try to get into her pants. As much as it made her uncomfortable, she knew she would be able to beat most people down in an instant. Gibraltar had tasked Ajay with teaching Natalie how to use a gun and other dangerous things as a precautionary measure. The switchblade the older woman had given her sat in her pocket, ready to be used if necessary.

Besides, she knew the others wouldn't let anything happen to her.

The blonde began filling up six shot glasses for a group of regulars that just came through the door, expertly filling one after another full of cinnamon whiskey.

Behind them, a woman silently entered the bar. Natalie didn’t notice her sit at the other end of the counter as the group of men greeted Natalie with an attempted hug.

“No, no gentleman, I cannot hug on the job,” She joked, sliding two shots to each of them. “But, I will gladly accept your tips.” She gave them a wink, and they erupted with laughter. 

“I have to say Nat, I’ve been coming into this bar for about two years now, and you’re one of the best bartenders this place has ever had,” One of them said before throwing back a shot. He scowled as the burning liquid ran down his throat. “Don’t tell Elliot I said that, though. He’d throw me outta the place in an instant.”

Natalie made a zipping motion over her lips. “Your secrets safe with me, _mon gros_.”

He laughed. “I still have no idea what that means.”

She shot him another wink and turned to help another customer. By now, she had noticed the mysterious woman sitting at the far end of the bar. She looked very standoffish in her clean black suit and long black hair that hung in her face messily. Huffing, she grabbed a drink menu and went over to her.

“ _Bonjour_ , welcome to the Paradise Lounge. What can I get for you today?” She said in her overly sweet customer service voice.

The woman didn’t take the menu that was being held out to her. “The usual, please.”

Natalie giggled. “I’m rather new here, miss, so forgive me if I do not know what your preferred drink is…”

The woman simply smiled in a way that both charmed Natalie and made her blood boil. “Why don’t you figure it out then?” She asked, her tone silky smooth.

Natalie searched the woman’s blue eyes for any hint of humor but found only seriousness staring back at her. “Erm, uh, well, could I maybe get a hint, _Belle_?” She mustered the most adorable pout she could manage. “For me?”

But the woman didn’t budge. “Nope. You can figure it out yourself.”

She huffed and leaned towards her. “Look do you want your drink or not-” 

“Ah, Renee, so gooooood to see you,” Elliot came up behind Natalie, grabbing onto her shoulders and pulling her back. “Don’t mind, Natalie here, yeah? She’s a wa-wai-wa...uh, bartender in training, so she’s still learning the ropes.”

The woman, Renee, gave that damned smile again. “Well, you’re doing a shitty job of training her, Witt. Poor customer service, bad attitude, didn’t even know my drink.”

Natalie opened her mouth to retort, but Elliot slapped a hand over it and gave Renee his biggest smile. “Yes, I _really_ should do a better job. At that, yes. Who knows, maybe I’ll just fire her! Ahaha, I shouldn’t say that!”

“Now I wouldn’t go that far. She seems like a capable girl. Not bad to look at either.” Natalie could practically feel the woman’s eyes rake over her body. She didn’t know whether to feel flattered or violated.

“Ahaha...yeah, you can, uh, look at her all you want, yeah? And she is pretty smart too. I bet you she could guess your drink of choice right now, first try, no hints!” 

Natalie looked at him in disbelief. 

“Is that so. What do I get if she doesn’t?” The woman tapped her short fingernails on the bar rhythmically. 

“Uh, free drinks?” He said sheepishly.

Renee hummed. “I was going to say a kiss, but I suppose that’s fine too.”

Elliot lit up. “Oh, if it’s a kiss you want I can give you one right now for free-”

“Not from you.” She cut him off and shot Natalie a smile.

That’s when she lost it. She slammed a hand on the table and drew her blade out with the other, gritting her teeth hard. The bar went silent. “Okay, _Renee_ , you come in here acting like you own the place and think you can get away playing all cute and playful, but I won’t stand for it.” 

Renee kept the smile glued to her face in spite of the knife pointed at her throat. “Aww, you think it’s cute?”

Natalie snarled. “Fine, do you know what I think you drink? Bourbon on the rocks.”

Finally, that smug smile was wiped clean off her face. She looked at the blonde in disbelief. “How did you-”

Natalie leaned in closer, pressing the tip of the blade gently against her neck. “I can smell it on your breath.” She whispered, before pulling away to make her drink.

Elliot’s mouth hung open as he looked between Renee and the young bartender. “Uh, yeah, um, you don’t have to pay for that, that was...a lot to handle.”

“Yeah...it was…” She said slowly. Natalie turned around and all but slammed the liquor on the bar before spinning back around. Renee grabbed ahold of her wrist before she could get away. “Hold on a sec-” 

Natalie was about to pull the knife on her again, but something about the way the woman acted made her hesitate. She watched as Renee slowly downed the entire drink and slammed the glass back on the table. The woman then took a crumpled bill out of her back pocket and put it in Natalie’s hands. “Get yourself a drink on me. It looks like you need it.”

Natalie pulled her hand away and scowled at the woman, but before she could get the last word in, she was already walking towards the exit. “I’ll see you later, Elliot.” And just like that, she was gone.

Natalie huffed. “What a rude woman, wonder how much she gave me. A dollar-” She stopped as she unfolded the bill — a twenty. 

Elliot’s eyes nearly bulged out of his head. “Renee’s never tipped anybody anything, let alone a twenty! She must have really liked you.”

“I don’t want her damn money! Who even is she?”

“Well, you see, uh, Renee is one of our...um...top buyers.” He rubbed the back of his neck, awkwardly.

Natalie buried her face in her hands. “Oh, god, I’m so stupid…” She mumbled. “I’m gonna get kicked out of the gang for this, aren’t I?”

Elliot shushed her and looked around nervously. “Don’t say the g-word here, okay? And no, you aren’t. That’s what’s so weird, Renee actually seemed to like you. And she doesn't like anyone. Not even me!”

She knit her brows together. “That’s even worse! She’s like, an asshole!”

“I know, I know, she can be an asshole sometimes, but you just have to play nice, alright? We only just got her to invest more money into our stock, and we wouldn’t want that to be ruined, would we?”

Reluctantly, Natalie nodded.

“Good. Now please get back to work and help these thirsty people. I don’t need another night of cleaning up broken glass off the floor because they were getting angry.”

“That’s happened before?”

“Multiple times, yes.”

Renee got off her bike and pulled off the helmet strapped to her head. She entered the rundown apartment building and climbed up the stairs to the second floor. As she came in, the four of her colleagues looked up from what they were doing expectantly.

She sat on the nearest chair and gave them a sly smile.

“They have another one.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> pretty quick update cuz i was in the mood to write hooohooo.  
> the way it's looking theres gonna be a pretty slow burn on this, and im gonna focus quite a bit on developing characters and the story cus holy shit i got some ideas :)


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natalie desperately wants to make her mark in the Syndicate, and the discovery of a mysterious book just might aid in that.

Later that night, as soon as the bar was closed, Elliot and Natalie went back upstairs to see how Ajay and Tae Joon were progressing on today’s batch of drugs. She could see the numerous sheets of blotter paper hanging from the ceiling to dry. Even from here, she could make out the bright neon designs on each of the tablets.

Natalie couldn’t help but wrinkle her nose as the potent smell of chemicals hit her. 

“Hey, put on some masks, yeah? We gots some strong stuff today.” Ajay shouted. Elliot passed Natalie a face mask, which she promptly strapped over her mouth and nose.

“How’s it going today?” Elliot asked, leaning towards the blotter sheets to examine them. “These are looking better.”

Tae Joon sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “It's shit. Your ‘Sunny-Side Up’ formula isn’t good, Witt.” He handed a small blotter tablet out to the older man. “Take a look.”

Natalie studied the piece of paper that sat on the tip of Elliot’s finger. It was about the size of a nickel, with a neon yellow sun design in the middle. It had a little smiling face on it as if it were saying ‘come on and try me. I’ll make you smile.” 

“What do you mean not good? I developed this formula myself, and I’ll have you know-” He popped the tablet on his tongue and immediately spat it out. “Yeah, uh, that’s really bad.”

Ajay laughed. “Maybe ya just not cut out for makin’ drugs, Witt,”

“Or alcohol,” Tae Joon added.

Elliot began sputtering uncontrollably. “H-hey, I’ll have you know that oh my god-” His eyes suddenly went wide. “Th-that’s a...strong s-stuff…”

They frowned. “Um...are ya good?” Ajay asked.

He nodded slowly and lifted his hands to his face. “Yeah, it’s just...my skin...it’s moving…”

The girl sighed and stood up, taking Elliot by the hand. “I’m gonna take him to bed ‘fore he does somethin’ stupid. Have her start packagin’. We’ll put Elliot’s special stuff on for a discounted price.”

Tae Joon nodded and started dipping the final sheet of blotter. Natalie watched, fascinated as the small designs began appearing on the paper. 

“So, how does this all work?” She asked, sitting across from the man as he finished his work. He gave a simple shrug as he hung up the paper to dry.

“It’s not too hard. Don't touch the chemicals. Know which stuff causes what affect. Make the pretty designs. That’s about it.”

Natalie nodded, totally, not understanding. “So when will I get to do this stuff?”

“Maybe soon. But first, start packaging and stop talking.” He shot her a smile. She jutted her bottom lip out in a pout, but still followed the older man’s instructions. After slipping on some blue latex gloves, she started breaking the sheet of paper into tablets, slipping three neatly into the little baggies just as she was taught. She put a few sets of ten aside for a sample pack they sold for more money, but a single bag of three costs only $5. Natalie wasn’t a huge drug person, but that seemed like a reasonably good deal. 

Ajay returned and sat in her seat with a huff. “Well, if Elliot’s brain doesn’t go ‘sunny-side up’ by the mornin’, I’m gonna be surprised.”

Natalie couldn’t help but giggle. “How strong was that stuff? He didn’t even take the whole thing.” 

“Lots of lysergic acids. He requested we use a quarter cup more than we usually do in today’s batch. He also asked to flavor it with the ‘dust you can see flying in the air when the sun shines just right’.” Tae Joon gave a low laugh. “I think he was stoned at the time.”

“So, you can make different types of LSD? I thought it was all the same.” Natalie pursed her lips, confused.

“Kind of. Ya can add more or less to change its potency. Or ya can make the effects different if ya know whatcha doin’.” Ajay explained. “It all depends on the purity of the acid.”

Natalie frowned. “I mean, I kind of get it.” She didn’t.

Tae Joon laughed. “Don’t worry. You’ll get the hang of it.”

She slumped her shoulders and nodded. They started to clean up the chemicals as Natalie finished packaging the LSD. 

“Just finish up here. We gonna turn in fo’ the night. Good job today Nat.” Ajay patted the younger girl on the shoulder. “See ya in the morning.”

Natalie nodded. Tae Joon turned off one of the lights, and then the girl was alone.

Renee sighed and rubbed her temples. Her office was quiet, except for the static of the security cameras she was observing. She was watching her next target. An embezzling piece of shit politician; an easy enough target, except the stupid amount of security guarding him. She shoveled some ice into a glass and poured herself a drink from the pitcher she kept on her desk. Before taking a sip, however, she hesitated.

“Bourbon on the rocks…” She muttered. There was a knock on her door, and she quickly gulped down the alcohol. “Come in.” 

Bloodhound opened the door and silently closed it behind them. They were in their usual suit and fur jacket, their heavy boots creaking the floor underneath them. Artur was perched on their shoulder, playfully nipping at the hanging strands on their headdress. “Renee. Good evening.”

She closed her laptop and gave the tracker a tired smile. “Bloodhound. Good evening. What can I do for you?”

“I just wanted to check in on you. You seem distant.” They sat on one of the chairs across from her desk, crossing their legs.

Renee sighed. “I’m just tired. Too much on my mind.”

They nodded. “I understand, things have been busy lately, haven’t they. Maybe you should take the day off.”

She shook her head. “No, Hound, it’s fine. I have to take care of this target soon anyway.”

Bloodhound chuckled. “The politician? Let me carry out the slatra. I will take the robot and make quick work of it.”

“You sure?”

“That man has no pride. He is not deserving of life. I would like to take care of him myself.”

Renee gave a tired laugh. “If you say so. Maybe I will take tomorrow off. There’s something I’ve been meaning to do anyway…”

“Do I want to know what that would be?” They asked.

She smiled at them. “No.”

Natalie had finally finished packaging the LSD and started putting the material away for the night. As she put the extra baggies back where she found them, she spotted a book that sat on the top of the shelf. She had to stretch on her tippy toes to reach it. When she finally grabbed it, a wave of dust fell on to her as she pulled it down.

She coughed and waved it away. “Nox’s recipes…” She read the title aloud. The pages had also gathered a layer of dust that flew around the book as she flipped through the pages. It contained recipes for all of the drugs that they produced in the past. The diagrams and writings were messily scrawled in handwriting that Natalie almost couldn’t read, but she was able to make out some of it. She flipped to a page titled ‘untitled LSD strain.’ It contained the type of purity, the chemicals necessary to develop it, as well as the flavoring of the blotter. There was a step-by-step guide to create it. Natalie bit her lip nervously, suddenly feeling inspired.

Unable to contain her curiosity, the blonde brought out the chemicals required and a fresh stack of blotter sheets. Carefully following the steps, she began with the 'tartrate salt' and created the solution of chemicals in one of the dipping trays. She mixed the purifying solution around with her gloved finger, and started putting the salts through it once, twice, three times until she was left with very fine crystals. 

“I don’t understand any of this…” Natalie muttered, as she flipped through the instructions on the book, making sure to follow each step with care.

Even in spite of her lack of knowledge, she started to dissolve the crystals in the dipping solution, carefully pouring the main ingredient, 'lysergic acid', in after it, making sure it appropriately mixed. She couldn’t help but cough as the potent chemicals wafted into her face, making her head spin. That's when she decided to take a break and let the chemicals steep. She went upstairs to the kitchen and started brewing herself a pot of tea.

As she sat down, Natalie started flipping through the book of recipes. “Basic PCP, Angel Wing LSD, Molly, Ollie Oxenfree…” She muttered, studying the names of the methods. Finally, she reached the end and found something out of the ordinary. “A note to the Syndicate Scum. Burn in hell…”

She gasped as the tea kettle started to scream, slamming the book shut in surprise. Natalie turned off the stove to quiet the steam as not to wake anybody up. After things had calmed down, she stood in silence, chewing her bottom lip nervously. The book had obviously belonged to Doctor Alexander Nox. Caustic. Why would he leave it behind? She took the book and hid it under her mattress, worried to know what might happen if the other members found her with it.

After pouring herself the tea, attempting to calm her nerves, she went back downstairs to finish what she started. Finally, she started dipping the sheets into the solution and hanging them up to dry, just like Tae Joon had done. Finally, when they were done, she sat back in her seat and surveyed her work. The sheets were starting to take on a light blue tint to them, which was surprisingly pretty. She wondered if there was a way to create her own designs on them.

That is if they were sellable.

Natalie didn’t even know if what she did worked, but she hoped it did. She desperately wanted to please her new family and hoped this would work to impress them.

When the sheets seemed dry enough, she started mixing up another solution for the flavoring. She poured some powder labeled ‘vanilla’ into the liquid and then re-dipped the sheets to give them their taste. Although the little tablets didn’t look all that appealing to Natalie, they smelled heavenly. Finally, the LSD seemed complete, and she started to package them up into bags of three and ten. 

By the time she was done, the sun had already started to peek through the windows of the apartment, but she was too invested in her work to notice. She didn’t even hear when Makoa’s heavy footsteps came up behind her.

“Well, well, well, what do we have here?” His booming voice rang out in the previously silent room. Natalie stifled a yelp with her hand and whirled around. “Someone’s been busy.”

“Ah, Gibraltar, i-it’s not wh-what it-” She started to say, but he held a hand out, gesturing her to be silent.

“It’s fine, Natalie. I just wish you would have asked someone experienced for help. You probably wasted most of the materials you used.” He gave her a tired smile.

She hung her head, tears brimming in her eyes. “I’m s-sorry, I just wanted t-to help…”

“Hey, hey, don’t cry, kid, it’s okay.” He pulled the girl into a hug, burying her face in his chest. “I know you just wanted to help, but…” He trailed off as he smelled the air. “What smells good?”

She pulled away slightly. “I f-flavored the tablets wi-with vanilla. I just th-thought-”

Gibraltar let the girl go and took one of the baggies of LSD, opening it up to take one on his finger. “This is... excellent craftmanship Natalie...I haven’t seen anything this good since…” Makoa went silent. “How did you learn how to do this?”

Natalie chewed her lip and shrugged. “I just...experimented.”

The gang leader stared at her for a long time before turning back to the hundred-some packages of LSD. “This is some of the finest needlepoint I’ve seen in a long time. We’ll put it on the market right away.”

Natalie lit up, grinning uncontrollably. “Really? You mean it?”

Makoa gave her a big smile. “Yeah, of course, wouldn’t want something like this going to waste, would we?”

Natalie threw her arms around the older man. “Thank you so much! I promise I did my best when making it.”

“I know you did, kid. You are very passionate about everything you do. That’s a good quality to have,” He reciprocated the hug. “Now tell me, what do you want to name your creation.”

“Name it?” She asked.

“Yeah, you created an original strain that you should be very proud of. What do you want to call it?”

Natalie tapped a finger to her chin for a moment, before a smile curled onto her lips. _“Bleu la Chance._ Blue Luck. I will dedicate it to my father.”

Makoa chuckled. “You sure your old man would want to be associated with drugs?”

“I’d like to think so. You’d be surprised about what my father was into.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im sorry if it's tedious to read about creating drugs and shit i just want to create a realistic story kinda thing. i promise that it will help in story development later.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Renee returns to the bar on her day off, looking to apologize to the poor girl she harrassed yesterday. But what she didn't expect was finding out more about the girl than she bargained for.

Renee parked her motorcycle by the curb outside the Paradise Lounge. Thursdays were never that busy, but the regulars still seemed to fill every chair in the building. She set her helmet on the bar as she sat in her usual seat at the far end of the counter.

Her palms were sweating like crazy.

She watched in amusement as Elliot stacked shot glasses into a pyramid, and filled them top to bottom with a flourish. Renee had witnessed the trick numerous times, but it never failed to amaze her and the other bar regulars. After the man finished handing out the shots, he finally came over to her with bourbon and a glass in hand.

“Well, if it isn’t our favorite customer. Funny seeing you back this soon.” Elliot said with a smile. “Miss me already?”

Renee returned the gesture, with a small smile gracing her stony expression. She usually only stopped by on Wednesdays and Saturdays to pick up stock. However, something pulled her back to the bar today. Maybe it was because this was her only place to go for fun on her day off. Perhaps it was something else.

“Day off. Figured I would come and grab a drink.” She slipped off her riding gloves and took the glass. “Nobody makes them quite like you, Witt.”

He gave her a stupid grin. “Aw sh-shucks. You’re just saying that.”

“Don’t let it get to your head.” She took a slow sip of the bourbon, relishing in the slow burn as it went down her throat. As she set down the glass, she noticed the blonde from yesterday come out of the kitchen, two large trays of food balanced on her hands. They made eye contact for a brief moment. The younger girl looked distressed at the sight of Renee, and she bolted back into the kitchen.

Renee frowned. “What’s wrong with the blonde?”

“Ah, she’s a little afraid of you. I told her about our...association...and she felt real bad for being so aggressive.” Elliot chuckled.

She couldn’t help but smile. “Cute. Well, aggressive is good in our profession. She’s a good find.”

Elliot nodded. “Yeah, she’s a pretty good kid.”

She finished her drink and slid the glass towards Elliot to be refilled. “Bring her out here. I want to talk to her.”

He looked wary. “Are you sure, I don’t want her hurting you or anything. She’s a bit unpredictable…”

Renee smiled. “I doubt she could do anything to me.”

After a moment, Elliot caved and went to fetch the girl. Seconds later, the blonde emerged from the kitchen, looking nervous.

“Miss Renee, _bonjour_ , so good to see you again.” She muttered, leaning awkwardly against the bar. “What did you need to talk to me about?”

Renee took another slow sip of her drink. “I wanted to apologize...for my behavior last night.” The blonde looked surprised but didn’t say anything. “I hope that you can forgive me for acting so crude.”

“I, uh, I guess I can forgive you…” She said at last, letting out a nervous giggle. _“Pardon,_ I just don’t know what to say.”

Renee chuckled. “We started on the wrong foot, I think. I never even caught your name.”

“Oh, of course. It’s-” She was interrupted by a noisy customer gesturing for her to come over to him. “Ah, hold on just a sec, _s'il vous plaît_.” Renee’s heart skipped a beat at the smooth sound of her French accent. She nodded as the bartender made her way over to the man. 

Renee nursed her second drink slowly, watching idly as the blonde spoke to the man. It was when he grabbed her wrist that Renee snapped out of her daze. She watched as he tugged the young girl closer to him, saying something to her as she struggled against his grip. Renee didn’t realize she was moving until she was halfway over to where the man was sitting.

“S'cuse me,” She said, tapping him on the shoulder. He turned to look at her, eyes glazed over. Her nose wrinkled as the smell of booze radiated off of him. “I think you should leave her alone.”

He scoffed. “You interrupted us. Maybe you should try minding your own business.”

Renee smiled at him. “Well, I couldn’t help but notice her getting uncomfortable with you touching her like that. So I’m gonna ask you kindly to let her go.”

The man threw his head back and laughed. “And what are you going to do about it-” He was cut off as a fist made contact with his face, a tooth flying to the floor. Renee gasped, startled. She was just about to land a punch of her own.

The blonde ran her hand across her knuckles, watching in displeasure as the offending man slumped against the bar. “I’m Natalie. Nice to meet you.” 

When the bar closed, Natalie had joined Renee on the other side of the counter, this time making a drink for herself. 

“I don’t know a lot about alcohol, but I do know how to mix it.” She said as she poured a fruity concoction into a glass. "It's just like chemicals, no?"

“I guess so. You seem to know enough, though.” Renee laughed. “Maybe even more than Elliot.

Natalie slipped a small umbrella on top of her drink and giggled. “Well, I’ve been told I’m a fast learner.”

“That so? What else have you learned so far from your time in the Syndicate?” She asked.

The blonde stuck a curly straw into the liquor and took a long sip from it. “Well, Ajay’s taught me how to kind of fight-”

“Kind of? I was impressed when you hit that guy earlier. Very clean punch from someone as new to fighting as yourself.”

“Oh, well,” She muttered, her cheeks flushing red. “It’s all in the wrist.”

Renee couldn’t stop a laugh from leaving her mouth, as cheesy as the joke was. She put a hand on the younger girl’s shoulder. “Funny too? You’re the whole package,”

Natalie’s face went redder at the contact, and she gave a nervous smile. “Th-thanks.”

“Ahaha, I have to ask, though. What’s a girl like you doing joining a gang?” Renee almost regrets asking the question as the younger girl’s nervous expression changed into one of discomfort. “Uh, you don’t have to answer that.”

“Ah, no, it’s okay. It’s just a bit of a touchy subject…” She trailed off. “I don’t mind talking about it, though…”

“Only if you want to.” Renee reminded her.

“Well…” The blonde took a deep breath. “My father passed away out of nowhere. And I didn’t want to be alone in our house, you know? Too many memories.”

Renee nodded in understanding. 

“I contacted Ajay - we used to be roommates in college until she dropped out - and I was hoping she could give me someplace to stay. But she gave me more than that.”

She frowned. “What do you mean?”

“A family. I haven’t been apart of the Syndicate that long, but I feel like I belong here.” Natalie looked tearful, but she was still smiling. “Sorry, that got a little personal.”

Renee returned the smile. “That’s fine. I get it. When I was younger, I was abandoned on the streets by my parents. I, too, found a home in a gang. And well, I wouldn’t be where I am today without them,” She lied. 

Natalie gasped. “That’s horrible of them to do so. Oh, I couldn’t imagine my father doing that to me.”

Renee chuckled. “It’s okay. It happens. Your father sounds like a good man.”

The blonde sighed and nodded. “He was. It was a shame what happened to him. I just wish to find whoever killed him.”

The older woman almost spit out her drink. “He was killed? I’m so sorry…”

“He was a great scientist. A lot of people wanted him dead. It was bound to happen eventually, but I still vowed to find whoever took his life.” Natalie muttered, clutching her glass tightly in her hand.

Renee went silent, her stomach dropping. “What was his name, if you don't mind me asking?”

 _“Non,_ his name was Luc Paquette. I miss him ever so much, _ça fait mal_.” 

Something icy speared her heart, causing a cold shiver to rack her body. “I’m s-so sorry for your loss, Natalie truly.” She glanced at her watch, feigning a look of surprise. “Goodness, already so late, I think I better get going. I have an early morning tomorrow.”

Natalie looked startled. “Oh, alright. I, uhh, hope you enjoyed your drink.”

Renee nodded and strapped her helmet on. “I’ll see you later. Thank you for the nice evening.”

“See you...” The older woman was already out the door. “...later.”

Renee all but jumped on her motorcycle and was up the street on it like a shot, trying to escape the cruel reality of the situation behind her. Tears prickled at her eyes, but she would not allow them to fall. She would not allow herself to fall either. Not for the daughter of Luc Paquette. 

She had to get as far away from the blonde as she could. 

Natalie Paquette needed to be killed.

Elliot had turned in early for the night, leaving the two women alone in the bar downstairs per Renee’s request. Sleep did not come easy for Elliot, however, even after a few puffs from his bong, and that usually put him out quickly. 

He lay in his bed, sighing as he stared at the ceiling, feeling nervous about something. Maybe a bad batch of weed was throwing him off. Water might help. Or perhaps a snack-

A gunshot crackled across the quiet city, ringing in Elliot’s ears painfully. He bolted up, looking outside his open window for the cause of the shot. There, he saw a dead man lying on the sidewalk, blood pooling around his head as several people crowded around him. Elliot grabbed his phone and was about to call the police, but something caught his eye before he could even dial a number.

A shadowy figure was standing on the roof next to his apartment. Their glassy eyes seemed to glow in the moonlight.

They were staring right at him.

Elliot didn’t move, watching in fear as the figure pointed their gun towards his window. After a moment, when Elliot was sure he was going to die, they pulled the gun down and turned away. A rope shot across the sky, and soon, the figure went swinging into the night.

The cold realization that he had just witnessed an assassination filled Elliot’s mind, but that wasn’t the main thing he was worried about.

They had spared him for now, but when were they coming back to kill him?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :)


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a sleepless night, Natalie must do another drug drop at the train station. However, Octane isn't the only one to meet her there.  
> Bloodhound must kill the witness to their hit from the night before. They didn't expect it to be this hard.

Natalie didn’t sleep well that night as intruding thoughts filled her mind. Images of the man that was shot outside of their building flashed through her mind, the blood pooling on the sidewalk, his brains splattered around him.

The face of the elusive Renee appeared behind her eyes every time she closed them as well. Her cheeks would heat up every time she imagined her piercing blue eyes. Natalie didn’t know how she could be thinking more about the rude woman more than the dead politician killed just outside their door.

In total, she got about 2 hours of sleep, which was somewhat problematic, considering she had to do a drug drop to Octavio today.

Ajay burst into her room when she realized the younger girl had overslept, a mug of coffee and her drug bag in her hands.

“Wake up sleepy head, gotta deliva today,” She shouted, throwing the heavy bag on top of the blonde.

She groaned at the impact. “ _Bon Dieu_ , I did not sleep well,” She sat up in bed and stretched, her spine cracking painfully. “Can’t you take it out?”

Ajay clicked her tongue and shook her head. “I’m a wanted criminal, baby, I can’t be seen out in public right now.” She set the mug on her nightstand and sat on the edge of Natalie’s bed. “Besides, you gotta pull your own weight ‘round here, ya feel? As much as we like ya, we can’t let ya stay fo’ free.”

Natalie yawned. “I know, I know. I just kept thinking about that man outside…” _Among other things…_ "It's a little scary..."

The older woman flopped back on top of Natalie, eliciting another groan at the sudden weight. “Ah, don you worry ‘bout it, Nat. Happens more than you think. Jus’ the sad reality of things in these parts.”

Natalie nodded, looking down at her lap. “I suppose so. I guess I’m just not used to it yet.” 

“Nobody ever gets used to it, hun. It’s horrifying to think ‘bout, but we got ya back, yeah?” Ajay wrapped her arms around the blonde, squeezing her in a hug. “I won’t let anythin’ happen to ya.”

She smiled, returning the hug half-heartedly. “Thanks, Che.”

After a moment or two, Ajay released the blonde and handed her the mug. “Drink this. Get that pep in ya step and go out there and deliver these drugs.”

The blonde groaned. “But, Ajayyyyy.”

“C’mon shif’ ya carcass.” She pulled the girl up and threw her signature jacket at her face. “Put on ya coat, and get movin’!”

“So, you killed him outside the Syndicate’s base?” Renee asked, rubbing her temples.

Bloodhound hesitated. “...yes...” They kept their strong posture, holding their ground.

Renee sighed, leaning back in her chair. “And did anyone see you?”

They went silent again. “It was an opportune time to strike on the politician. He was walking to his car and-”

“Did anyone see you?” She asked again, her eyes flashing angrily.

“Mirage. Of the Syndicate.” They said at last. Artur cawed nervously on their shoulder.

Renee sighed. She had grown to like the enemy gang member, even in spite of the gang’s feud. “And did you kill him?”

A deep breath came from Bloodhound’s respirator. “No.”

Renee slammed a hand down on her desk, shaking the carafe of bourbon. “Bloodhound. You know better than to leave witnesses alive. Especially if it’s a member of a fucking rival gang. What the hell is wrong with you?”

They stood stoic. “It was a moment of weakness. I apologize.”

“I don’t need your fucking apology. I need you to fucking fix your mistake, Hound.” She pointed a finger to them. “Kill Mirage. We can’t keep him alive, cause he will most definitely go to the cops.”

Bloodhound nodded. “I will, ma'am.”

She got up and started shoveling ice into a glass. “Good. Because if you don’t, I’ll send someone else who will happily get the job done.”

They gritted their teeth. “Yes, ma’am.” As they opened the door to leave, they looked back at the woman, scowling under their mask. “Enjoy your drink, _Renee_.”

Natalie made her way down to the train station yet again, the rain pouring down on her almost painfully. It always seemed to be raining when she made her deliveries, but today it was excessive. The usually crowded train station was down to only few handfuls. Natalie shivered as drops of water cascaded down her jacket, splashing back up against her legs.

The pretzel stand was closed, and the bright umbrella shook in a colorful dance as the wind blew it. She stopped under the umbrella, holding herself tightly to combat her shivering. The torrential downpour almost made it impossible to see anything, but just as she was about to lose hope, she saw a bright flash of green shining through the dreary rain. Natalie watched as Octavio’s neon hair bounced as he ran through the rain, finding coverage under a tree. She almost rolled her eyes when she saw that he was still sporting shorts and a crop top. 

As casually as she could, she made her way over to the dealer and stood on the other side of the tree, facing away from the public eye. Octavio nodded at the girl and held out his open backpack, which Natalie started shoving the books inside of it.

When the deed was done, Tav smiled cockily at the girl and slung the bag over his shoulder. “Later, Wattson.” 

She couldn’t help but return the smile. “See ya, Octane.”

They went separate ways after that, Tav sprinting in one direction and Natalie walking in the other.

Just as she was about to leave the station, however, somebody grabbed hold of her shoulder tightly. She was seconds away from grabbing the knife in her pocket, but whoever had caught her seized her hand and pinned it behind her back. They pulled her aside, apart from the crowd.

“Well, just my luck,” A familiar voice breathed in her ear. “I was just on my way to work, and I come across the girl who knocked out my tooth.”

Natalie’s eyes widened. It was the man who she had defended herself against. She craned her neck to look behind her and found a toothy grin staring back at her. His front tooth was missing, the gum still bloody. 

He twisted her arm tighter behind her back and laughed. “Oh boy, revenge is a bitch, isn't it?”

  
  


Renee walked down to the train station, carrying her briefcase in one hand and a backpack in the other, hurrying to catch her ride on time. This mission was very high stakes, and she only had a small window of time to get her hit in. However, it had taken her far too long to get her stuff together, and now she was late.

Just as Renee was about to board the train, she heard a nasty laugh coming from the other side of the station. She turned to look and, of course, no-other than Natalie fucking Paquette was being held hostage by the man from the bar. Renee sighed, watching in dismay as the blonde struggled against his grip.

“You didn’t see anything. Just turn around and ignore it.” She muttered to herself, climbing on the train. Renee took her seat, set her stuff on the ground, and took her flask out of her pocket. “Let him take care of her for you.” 

She took a long sip of bourbon, feeling the comfortable burning sensation.

She ignored the situation outside. She did not need to get involved. She couldn’t get involved.

Natalie struggled against her attacker's tight grip, flailing her legs in some attempt to hit him. She managed to get a swift kick to his inner thigh, making him grunt in pain, but that was the end of her efforts. He pushed her face-first into a wall, the rough bricking cutting into her cheek painfully. 

“Damn, you're feisty. I like it when they fight, though,” He muttered, getting closer to her ear. "Love prey that struggles.”

Tears pricked at her eyes as she felt his weight against her. The rain was pouring so hard, it chilled her to the bones. Natalie felt like she couldn't move even if she tried. She was sure she was going to die. Or worse.

Suddenly, she was able to move again, the weight of the man disappearing from behind her. Natalie turned to find he was crumpled to the ground, blood oozing from his upper back. Renee stood above him, holding a rather sharp looking kunai. Her dark hair clung to her face as the rain showered down on them.

“Renee...wh-what are you-” Natalie started to say, but the older woman held up a hand.

“Don’t. Just...get out of here. I’ll take care of him.” She said tiredly. The train that she had bordered was already leaving, taking all of her stuff with it.

“But-”

“Natalie. Go.”

The blonde looked at the man, then back at Renee. She said nothing as she turned to leave. It was only when she got back to her room that she allowed the tears to flow.

Bloodhound was back in the Syndicate’s neighborhood for the second night in a row. They saw that the politician's body had been removed from the previous night, but bloodstains still covered the concrete.

They loaded their sniper with a single bullet, working with quick, experienced hands. Mirage was alone in the bar, cleaning up after another busy night serving rowdy customers. The other bartender had not been there that night — perfect moment to strike. 

Bloodhound positioned the gun on their shoulder and peered through the scope, getting the back of the man’s head in their sights. Their finger grazed the trigger, squeezing ever so slightly.

Then Mirage turned. And Bloodhound’s heart dropped. They watched as he flipped his curly hair to the side, dancing and singing to a song that must have been playing as he cleaned up. He took his broom and used the handle as a microphone. 

The scope they were using wasn’t even close to top of the line, but even so, Bloodhound could still see every feature on the man’s face. Every scar, every freckle, every beard hair. 

Then there were his eyes. His deep brown eyes mesmerized Bloodhound. They felt like a moth drawn to a flame.

They shook their head and lifted the gun, disarming it quickly. Bloodhound couldn’t do it. At least not tonight.

Or maybe ever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry if this is coming along really slow, there's just a lot of main ideas im trying to develop.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the amounting success of Blue Luck, Renee wants to get in on the trend for money's sake.

Blue Luck had sold out on the first day of being on the market, so the Syndicate produced more. They doubled the quantity, and this time, per Natalie’s request, the little blue tablets had a pretty storm cloud printed on it, with lines of yellow lighting streaking across the blotter. As soon as they hit the market, they were gone within 24 hours. 

This was the most successful the Syndicate has been in a long time. 

And people were starting to notice.

Renee didn’t want to return to the Paradise Lounge, not after the last couple of encounters she had with Natalie, but with the rising popularity of their new strain of LSD, she had to catch on the ride while it lasted.

She parked her motorbike in the back parking lot of the bar, to avert any unwanted attention. Carefully, she strapped her helmet on the handle and stepped up towards the back door. It was a normal day, her Saturday pick-up. All she had to do was head in and out to get the week’s supply of drugs. She’s done it a thousand times, maybe more. 

Today, it felt as if this was her first time again.

She ascended the stairs to the middle level of the building, laughs and cheers were coming from upstairs. 

The entire gang was partying around the chemical station, laughing as they celebrated. Renee was about to back away, but Ajay caught her eye and waved her inside.

“Hey stranga, come to join the party, huh?” She shouted, raising her drink towards the woman.

As much as she wanted to turn away, she put a smile on her face and entered the room. She glanced and saw Natalie looking at her, but the blonde looked away immediately, her cheeks going red. Renee had to fight the nervous butterflies in her stomach. “What’s the occasion?”

Gibraltar laughed and slapped the blushing Natalie on the back. “Our Lil' newbie here did us well today. Sold out on all stocks immediately.” The blonde hid her blushing face in her hand, embarrassed. Again, Renee suppressed the fluttering feeling in her stomach. 

Natalie took a small sip of her beer. “ _Cela n'a pas d'importance…”_ She muttered quietly.

Elliot handed her a bottle of beer, which she hesitantly took, and he pushed her down on the couch in the only open spot. Right next to Natalie. “C’mon Renee, celebrate with us. We’re gonna have more money than we ever had before!”

Renee gritted her teeth. As much as she liked Elliot, he was still alive. Bloodhound had failed their task yet again. She ought to just break the bottle and stick into Elliot’s throat right now, finish the job, finish the entire Syndicate. Instead she popped the bottle cap and took a long sip of beer. 

“I’m proud. Everyone has done a great job.” She leaned back on the couch, shoulder to shoulder with Natalie, trying to ignore the heat radiating off of the younger girl. “Are you going to produce more?”

“What do you think all of that is?” Tae Joon smirked and gestured behind the woman. At least a hundred sheets of blotter tablets hung from the ceiling, drying out, waiting to be packaged. The strong scent of vanilla hit her like a punch. 

“ _Ce n'est pas grave_ ,” Natalie whispered, barely loud enough for Renee to hear. “ _Ce n'est même pas ma recette_.” Then she was leaning against the older woman’s shoulder, snoring softly as her head weighed against her. 

Renee shifted uncomfortably, but didn’t move the younger girl off of her. She only now noticed the sheer amount of beer bottles that littered the floor by Natalie’s feet. There had to be at least ten.

Gibraltar sighed. “Poor girl had a rough couple of days.” He muttered.

“She was assaulted a few days ago, but she said she escaped.” Ajay explained, rolling up a joint in her lap. “Poor gal, she was a wreck for days.”

“I swear if I find the person who did it, I’ll...I’ll...smack ‘em around!” Elliot shouted. “She’s too innocent to deal with all of this,” He said, pouting as he watched the blonde sleep.

Renee only listened, trying not to pay attention to the intoxicating weight of the younger girl against her. “She’s very strong.” She said finally. “She just needs time to adjust. It’s not easy coming into a life like this.”

The other gang members nodded. Ajay lit off her blunt and took a long drag off of it before handing it to Elliot. “Well we sure wouldn’t be where we are now without her. Girl’s got an amazin’ mind. She gon’ take us places.”

Everyone muttered in agreement. Renee’s heart thumped nervously in her chest as the younger girl hugged her arm tightly to her chest. 

“Here, I can take her to bed.” She said suddenly, standing up and gently picking up Natalie bridal style in her arm.

“You sure? I can probably take her.” Makoa said, beginning to stand up.

“No it’s okay. I need to get going anyway, I’ll just take care of her now.” Renee smiled at him, and he sat back down. 

“Her room is upstairs. Second to last door on the right.” Tae Joon told her. Renee nodded and started her climb up the stairs.

The younger girl was light in her arms, easy to carry, despite her being taller than Renee. Her head rested against her chest, her soft, warm breath sending tingles down the older woman’s spine. 

Renee reached the top of the stairs and turned to face it. She lifted the girl higher into the air, and got ready to drop her. A fall down the stairs wouldn’t kill her, probably, but an injury to the spine should be enough to get her out of the way, if not easier to kill. And it would be easy to explain to the others too. ‘ _She was too heavy_ .’ _‘I couldn’t carry her all the way up_.’

Then Natalie sighed, and nuzzled her head against Renee’s arm, a small smile on her face. “ _Tellement confortable,”_ She muttered sleepily.

Renee looked at the sleeping woman’s face for a long time, her eyes tracing her lips, the curve of her face, the delicate scarring running along her cheek.

The older woman was still for a long moment before she pulled her closer to her chest and turned to put the younger girl in her room. 

Natalie’s room was cluttered with bits of metal and machines and papers by the hundred, all scribbled on in less than neat handwriting. Her bed wasn’t much better, covered in countless sheets of paper, hiding the covers underneath. Renee managed to pull back the sheets and gently placed the girl on the bed. 

The blonde groaned in her sleep, reaching out for the older woman again. “ _T_ _rop froid. Prends moi dans tes bras.”_

Renee sighed and covered her with a blanket. She brushed her blonde bangs away from her forehead, smiling as Natalie seemed to push up against her touch.

Then she leaned down and pressed her lips to her head. 

Her eyes widened when she realized what she had done. Quietly but quickly, she left the room, closing the door behind her. She almost didn’t hear the quiet voice calling after her.

“ _Reviens_.”

Bloodhound sat in the living room, comfortably carving the sculpture they had been working on - a hand holding a realistic human heart. Artur sat on their leg, preening his feathers as his master worked. Alexander sat across from them, reading one of his books.

The door to their home opened, and someone threw a duffel bag on the coffee table. Then, Bloodhound was being lifted up from their seat, a hand clinging to their collar tightly. 

Renee’s face was inches away from the tracker’s, cold fury in her pale eyes. Her nails dug into the flesh of their neck.

“You’ll never guess who I just saw at the Syndicate.” She breathed. Her breath smelled like beer. Bloodhound struggled against her grip.

“Renee, please-” They started to say, but she only gripped tighter. Blood welled from the pierced skin on their neck.

“No. You lost your begging privileges. Fix the fucking problem, you idiot, before I have to fix you.” She spat on their mask, drool running along their respirator.

Then she dropped them, like a bag of garbage. “Why can’t anyone get anything fucking done around here.” She muttered before stalking away to her study.

Bloodhound wiped the spit off of their mask with a gloved hand, distastefully wiping it on the arm of their chair. They looked to see if Alexander would be staring at them, but found the older man more interested in the bag of drugs left on the table. He took a baggie of small blue tablets, studying them carefully before taking them out. Bloodhound watched as he put a tablet into his mouth, his eyes going wide.

Alexander suddenly stood up, throwing the book on the ground. His eyes looked wild with excitement.

“What’s the matter with you.” They asked, watching as he took the duffel bag and started for his room. 

The scientist stopped at his door and looked back at the tracker with a sinister smile. “Somebody found my book.”

He slammed the door, leaving Bloodhound alone with their guilt.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natalie makes new drugs, Renee has a new hit, and Bloodhound wears new clothes.

Natalie knew she should be happy with her new life. She’s successful, making money, her new family supporting her, a good roof over her head, a job she enjoys. All things she never even imagined having.

Yet she still felt like there was something wrong. As if something were missing. 

Maybe it’s the danger. After the first few incidents, she’s been feeling more and more uneasy about everything. Even when she’s in her own room, she often feels anxiety seep into her bones, as if somebody was watching her. She loved her job, and wouldn’t give it up for anything in the world…but the constant threat of death was beginning to hang on her shoulders.

Natalie desired safety and comfort. Something her family couldn’t provide. Not even her father could have given her that safety. But she had found that in somebody very particular, who seemed to pop up in her life when she needed help the most. 

Renee Blasey. She made her heartthrob in a new and exciting way.

And she hated it. 

There was something about the older woman that rubbed her the wrong way. The air of mystery surrounding her, the aggressive front...but she was attracted to it none-the-less. Maybe that was just her type.

The blonde sighed, leaning back in her chair. Recently, a personal drug brewing station had been set up in her closet, per Gibraltar’s request. The man was an impressive businessman at heart - and she couldn’t blame him for that- so he wanted to juice Natalie of her skill to make more money. She didn’t mind, for she enjoyed being of some sort of use to the gang, but the stresses of developing something new...it was starting to weigh down on her. Not only that...but it was when she was making the drugs she felt the most paranoid...as if someone was creeping up behind her, watching her every move carefully.

She started flipping through Alexander Nox’s book again, surveying the recipes to pick out something to pursue making. Her own notes had begun to collect in the margins of the book, noting down techniques and additions of her own. There was one that she had focused on more - Noxious’ Signature Recipe - that looked like her best bet. It was a PCP recipe, something that she hadn’t dabbled with yet, but based on the author’s notes, it was a very potent recipe. Biting her lip, she propped the book up so she could read the recipe as she worked, and began collecting the ingredients. As she started her work, she felt eyes on the back of her head. She knew she shouldn’t turn around, there wasn’t anybody there after all. But the heavy feeling of guilt and danger loomed over her anyways.

Renee took a slow sip of her freshly poured glass of bourbon before pulling on her pants. She strapped on her belt, put on her shoes, buttoned up her shirt, tied up her tie, slipped into her jacket, and finally put on her helmet — just an average day for an average mercenary. The Voidwalker stepped in front of her full-body mirror and looked over her appearance, just to make sure she was unrecognizable, as usual. Plain black suit, plain black shirt, plain black tie, and, of course, her custom made helmet. Unlike her regular bike helmet, this one was white, purple, futuristic-looking. She always wore it when she did a job or was meeting with a client.

And tonight that’s just what she was doing. 

A gang in a neighboring city had requested her services for a hit - and the way they made it sound, it was rather easy too. For the sum of money they were offering, there was no way she could turn it down. After making sure her appearance was secure, she put her preferred gun for the evening in her briefcase - a little thing she likes to call her Wingman - and moved to leave. 

Bloodhound was the only gang member in the living area as she left. They were preparing their gun for their own hit tonight. Renee only hoped it was Elliot. She stayed silent as she passed them, and they were quiet as well. She went downstairs to the garage, and instead of unpacking her regular bike, she mounted her ‘other’ bike. The sleek white bike paired with her helmet. It wasn’t necessary, but it made her feel badass.

And Renee loved nothing more than feeling badass.

She started her bike, pushed off, and was off into the night. 

Bloodhound was waiting for Renee to leave. They made themself look busy with the gun they usually used when on a job, biding their time until their boss left for her meeting. Renee looked over at them but was silent as she left. They waited until they could hear her motorcycle go up the road, and then they sprang into action. 

The rest of the gang was out for dinner - they went out every weekend to an ally gang’s restaurant - so they were thankful the apartment was empty. They stood in front of their mirror and, with shaking hands, began to remove their mask. First, they took off their headdress, exposing their wild mess of black hair. They had braided it the week prior, and only now was it beginning to come out of its knots. Next came their goggles, and their respirator, and all the other bits and bobbles until finally their face was revealed. Bloodhound never liked the scarring on their face - years of hunting and surviving tore it to hell and back. Their tan skin was spotted with freckles and acne scars, and their dark eyes were sunken with dark bags. 

Bloodhound had never liked their appearance. They have tried to love it, but the jagged light-colored scars that serrated their face made it hard. 

Which was why tonight was going to be a challenge.

They shucked their usual fur coat, their pants, shirt, and muddied boots. When they looked at themself in the mirror again, they saw scars piled on more scars. Fresh wounds only starting to heal. Blood soaked bandages from recent battles and scuffs. They breathed slowly, their tight binder restricting their lungs.

Tonight, they opted for a lighter style, something that didn’t scream ‘blood-thirsty vigilant,’ but also drifted away from ‘filthy homeless person who lived in the woods’ vibe. So they pulled on a plain white shirt, a pair of worn jeans, and a heavy cargo jacket. As much as they wanted to keep the boots, they slipped just a plain pair of sneakers on, making their feet feel...less bulky.

Carefully, they undid the braid that kept their unruly hair in check. Now that it was free, their dark curly locks fell to the back of their shoulders. There were beads and smaller braids and dreadlocks laced into it from years of attempted taming, but most times, their hair got the best of them. Tonight, they wanted to try to leave it down, just to see how it felt.

And based on how they were already feeling, Bloodhound could tell this night was going to be a disaster.

Artur cawed at them worriedly, tilting his head at the sight of his master looking so...naked. They stroked his chin with their newly ungloved hand, making him flutter his wings. 

“Calm Artur. I will be alright. You will have to stay here alone for tonight, yes?” They spoke, their voice clear and gravely without the filtering of their respirator. The raven gave another gentle caw before flying up to his perch above Bloodhound’s bed. 

Even though nobody was home, Bloodhound left the apartment as quietly and as carefully as possible. They went down the stairs to the back door, and when they opened it, they stopped. This was the first time they have been outside without their mask in...a long time. It had begun to lightly rain, the drops of water hitting the forming puddles on the ground with a soft splash.

Slowly, they stuck their exposed hand outside, and let a few drops hit their palm. It felt cold, refreshing on their skin. They couldn’t help but smile as they stepped completely into the rain. Water softly pelted their body, and it felt...wonderful. They let out a laugh and spun around as they looked up, watching as the rain was illuminated by the surrounding street lamps and the moon. It looked beautiful. It felt beautiful.

Bloodhound felt beautiful.

With a big smile on their face, they started walking down the sidewalk, enjoying the feeling of breathing fresh air in their lungs. They didn’t know how long their good mood would last, but they wanted to cherish it for as long as possible. 

They were headed to the Paradise Lounge.

Natalie was dead tired, but she had finally done it. At least she thought she had done it. She had managed to produce the small white pills by following the instructions, and from what she has seen Tae Joon and Ajay create, it looked fine enough. 

The blonde leaned back in her chair, sweat dripping down her face. The closet was hot and cramped, and the stress of working with such potent chemicals was starting to get to her. She should just go to bed now and report her work to Makoa in the morning…

But something was urging her to do something...Voices in her head telling her…

 _Take the pills_.

Before she really knew what she was doing, she had slipped one of the white pills in her mouth. And before she could stop herself, she was taking another. 

Natalie didn’t feel it immediately, but she was in a daze as she got up to shower. She felt airy, light, angelic almost. 

Then it kicked in, while she was brushing her teeth none-the-less.

The blonde started breathing heavily, dropping the toothbrush as her hands began shaking. Shapes moved across her vision, her balance felt out of whack, and she fell over, almost hitting her head on the wide of the sink. When she hit the ground, her impact echoed in her ears, and she felt like she was about to vomit. 

And that’s what she did. 

Leaning over the toilet, she gagged, throwing up what little dinner she had given herself, but that only seemed to make her new feeling even worse. 

Her legs started going numb, her arms too, as she stumbled towards her bed. She swore she could hear the end of the universe crashing down on her.

It was almost…angelic.

The edges of her vision went black, and she was falling out of consciousness.

Renee pulled up to the gang’s base - a dilapidated looking building that was most definitely fronted as a crack den. Even though her helmet, she could smell the piss and vomit that seemed to stain the air. She pulled her motorcycle into a nearby alley before walking up to the ‘door’ - a literal hole in the wall. 

There were people inside, but they were too out of it to notice her. They were laying on the floor, needles surrounding them as they laughed, or cried, or stared straight up at the ceiling. Among the smell of pee and alcohol and whatever other bodily fluids permeated around her, Renee could smell the unmistakable scent of a dead body. A scent she knew very well.

A dim light seemed to be coming from the back of the building, so she headed there, expensive shoes crushing glass and metal bits under her feet.

This time, there was an actual door, and she gave three soft knocks to its semi-decayed wood. An unfamiliar man answered the door, and he gave the vigilante a grin. “He’s here,” He shouted to the men gathered around a table behind him.

Renee found it funny that most people assumed she was a man, but she allowed them to think whatever they wanted. Made her true identity a little more secure.

Five men sat a wooden table, playing cards in their hands. They all turned to look at her-

That guy. It couldn’t be.

He got up and smiled at Renee. His front tooth was missing, the gum still bloody from where it was knocked out.

“Voidwalker, so kind of you to join us.” He said, gesturing her to sit at the table.

With stiff legs, she sat in the chair, leaning her briefcase against it.

“I didn’t think he would actually come,” One of them muttered, making the toothless man scowl.

“Shut up, Todd,” He said, smacking him upside the head as he sat back down.

“What did you call me here for,” Renee said sternly, her heart sinking in her chest. She had an inkling of a feeling about what was going on.

“We just want to place a hit down on somebody, a rather easy target for someone like yourself.” Toothless explained, his grin widening.

“Who.”

“You know the Paradise Lounge right? ‘Course you do, everyone knows the Lounge,” He said. “Well, there’s this little blonde that works there, think her name was Natalie? She gave me a good ol’ punch in the face jus cause I wanted a kiss.”

Renee felt like crying, but she kept her voice level and stoic. “You want me to kill someone who rejected you for being creepy.”

His face went red, whether, from embarrassment or anger, Renee didn’t know. “Er, well, that’s not all. I saw her again the next day and wanted to teach her a lesson, you know, but the little bitch somehow knocked me out and got away.”

 _That was me, you dumb ass._ She thought but continued to keep her silence.

“She made me feel like a sack of shit, that one,” He sneered and spat as if Natalie’s name were something terrible that he swallowed. “Nobody does that to me and escapes alive.”

“To reiterate,” Renee said. “You want me to kill a girl that you tried to assault, and she escaped before you could rape? Sounds kind of pathetic to me.”

Toothless suddenly stood up and got in her face. “Are you gonna take the job or not?” Saliva flew out of his mouth and splattered on her mask. She didn’t flinch, but instead quickly undid the buckles on her briefcase and had her Wingman to his temple in a second.

Before she knew it, the other men in the room were drawing their guns too, all pointing at her.

“Do not shout at me,” Renee whispered in his ear. “You are disgusting. I hope you know that.”

Even though Toothless was shaking out of fear, he kept the snarl on his face. “You can’t refuse this case. Look at how many guns are aimed right at you."

She didn’t have to look. She knew. She knew she couldn’t say no to this hit. They wouldn’t let her leave alive is she refused.

“And look at the gun aiming right at you,” She said, cocking the gun. “I don’t kill civilians. I don’t kill good people. I don’t kill victims. Especially victims of scummy, disgusting pigs such as yourself.”

“You can’t walk away from this, Voidwalker,” He grinned at her, tongue darting through the gap in his teeth. “You may walk the moral high ground, but we’re the ones with the power here. We have guns. We have the money.”

“I always have the power,” Renee said, before pulling the trigger.

She moved the barrel out of the way of his temple until it was aimed at the wall next to him, and when the gun-fired, the bullet grazed the back of his head. He cried out in pain, but none of the others shot. She dropped him to the ground and leaned in next to his ear. “Never forget that.”

Slowly, she started packing her gun back up as Toothless panted on the ground, scrambling to get up. By the time he was standing, Renee was ready to leave.

“Wh-what the hell-” He started to say, but was promptly cut off by a hand to his chest.

“I will take the job because I have to. Not because I want to,” She said, and then started towards the door. “I will give myself a week’s deadline. It will be done by then. Payment in cash only.”

Then she was out the door, tears flowing freely down her face as she walked out of the building.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Renee questions her morals, Elliot and Bloodhound share a drink, and Natalie discovers something new.

Renee made sure she didn’t look like she was crying before she entered the apartment. Her eyes were puffy and red, but not to the point where the other gang members would notice. She took a long sip from her flask as she ascended the stairs, suppressing her feelings as her head went fuzzy.

It seemed like the gang was just getting home, as they were still in their ‘on-the-town’ clothes. Anita regarded the other woman with a smile, taking a long drag on her cigarette. 

“You look like you were hit by a train.” She said, holding out an empty glass at Renee. She poured the liquor from her flask into the cup and sat on the nearest sofa with a heavy sigh.

“I was forced to take a job at gunpoint. Guess you could say I’m not in a good mood,” She muttered, rubbing her temple.

“Really? You could have taken them, Ree,” The ex-soldier said, throwing back the bourbon. Renee slumped down in her seat. _I could have._

“What is the job, Miss Renee?” Pathfinder asked, tilting his head. She almost laughed at the comically crooked bowtie strapped around his metal neck.

“I, uh…” She trailed off, swishing the liquor in her flask ideally. “...have to kill a girl.”

“What kind of girl?” Caustic asked, flipping through a magazine, half paying attention.

“I don’t know, some bartender that some guy tried to assault. He was pissed she got away and now…” She trailed off again. 

“Interesting…” The scientist said, continuing his reading.

Anita scowled. “What kind of petty asshole-” She spat in her glass with a sneer. “Why don’t we just kill him?”

“It’s an entire gang, I’m not sure if you’d be in the mood to do that,” Renee sighed. “Besides… they’re offering a lot of money for such an easy target.”

“How much are we talking?” Anita asked, leaning forward. 

The gang leader resisted the urge to tear up and sucked in a breath. “65k.”

Silence filled the room until Anita let out a whistle. “That’s uh...not bad.”

“I’m sensing an issue with your morals, Miss Renee,” Pathfinder said. “Do you know this girl?” 

_Damn robot._

“It’s wrong to kill innocent people Path,” Renee dodged.

“But we kill all the time. Why is this any different?” He asked, making an icy awkwardness fill the room.

“Just….don’t question it…” Renee muttered, standing up to leave. “I’ll be in my study if you need me…”

The gang was silent as they watched the woman go, her shoulders sagging under the weight of her guilt.

“Was it something I said?” Pathfinder said, making Anita scowl. “And where is Bloodhound?”

The Paradise Lounge was the slowest Elliot has seen in a long time, not even the weekend regulars were hanging around long. The number of customers had dwindled since the assassination of that politician right outside the bars’ doors. Not that Elliot can blame them. If he were in their place, he wouldn’t come either...but it hurt just a little bit. 

As he was beginning to prep for an early close, the door opened, and the rain that had started outside was louder. A person emerged from the storm, their dark hair and clothes soaking wet. They seemed to stop when they saw Elliot starting at them, and they looked around nervously before cautiously moving to sit at a table in the corner of the bar.

Elliot stared over at them curiously, their dark eyes nervously meeting his before they darted away. He had never seen this person before….

Biting his lip, he poured two glasses of margaritas, and stuck curly straws, skewers of fruit and cherries, and umbrellas into the glass. Carefully, he walked over to the customer and sat across from them, sliding the glass in their direction.

“Hey. Welcome to the Paradise Lounge. Normally, we’re a lot busier than this,” They looked at him and the drink with caution, fear flashing in their dark eyes. “Uh, just to let you know we’re not like, a shitty bar or anything.”

He watched as they observed the drink carefully, before looking back at Elliot, a small grimace on their scarred lips. “I do not have money to pay for this.” They said, their voice gravelly and smooth. Elliot caught himself blushing. 

“Uh, d-don’t worry, it’s on th-the-the hou-free.” He rubbed the back of his head, sheepishly.

They chuckled softly, their low voice filling Elliot’s ears, and they slowly took a sip of the drink. He watched as their beautifully scarred face morphed into one of surprise. 

“Is it okay?” Elliot asked, and they quickly nodded.

“This is very good. You have a gift at making drinks.” They smiled before taking a long sip.

“Oh yeah?” He grinned, unable to control the stupid smile from growing on his face. “I, uh, appe-apprec-uh...thank you. What’s uh, your name, how come I haven’t seen you around before?”

They seemed to hesitate as they sipped their drink. “Call me...Bloth.”

“Bloth? Yeah, okay, nice to meet you, I’m Elliot. The owner of this lovely establishment.” He grinned cockily.

“It’s a charming bar. Elliot. Thank you for the drink.” They started to stand. Elliot didn’t even realize they had sucked down their beverage, and the man stood up too.

“Are you leaving already?” He asked, following them to the door. The bartender stopped in his track as the mysterious person turned to look at them, a sly smile on their lips as they pushed a lock of hair behind their ear. His face went hot and red.

“I’ll be back tomorrow. Maybe.” They opened the door and stepped out into the rain.

“Maybe? I didn’t even get your-” They were already gone as Elliot began reaching out the door. “...number…”

He huffed and shut the door, locking it behind him.

Natalie woke up with a daze; her vision still bleary with sleep and high. Groaning, she stood up from the floor, the place she had passed out, just mere feet from her bed. Her back was messed up and her joints felt like they were about to break. Everything tasted like dust.

She shuffled into her bathroom and began to brush her teeth again, but nothing seemed to get rid of the taste of dust in her mouth. Cupping her hands under the faucet, she scooped up water and held it to her mouth, drinking down hungrily.

Her mouth felt bone dry.

Her mind was still half gone as she walked out of the bathroom.

Her hands gripped at her stomach as she felt sicker and sicker.

Then she noticed the pills, still half packaged from her brewing the day before. Or...was it hours before... 

The little white pulls seemed to glow brightly in the dim room.

“Maybe...one would help.” She muttered. Natalie almost didn’t recognize the sound of her own voice. 

She didn’t know why she gravitated to the little white pills, but they just seemed to pull her in. Her hands shook as she took one in her palm. But she wanted to take it so bad.

Natalie shook her head and gulped the pill down quickly, swallowing it before she could think a second thought. 

She shuddered as she felt the pill go down her throat. Deciding she needed something to do, she wandered into the kitchen to make herself a cup of tea.

Her thoughts were slow, almost sluggish as she poured the tea into a cup. It felt as if her brain was decaying. She didn’t know if it was an effect of the drug, her tiredness, or a hangover of sorts.

As she sipped her tea, she began to feel the inklings of something in the back of her mind, as if somebody were running their hands through her hair. Natalie closed her eyes and sighed, smiling softly as the tingling feeling seemed to bathe her whole body, tiny fingers massaging every inch of her skin. 

She felt...angelic.

Natalie could take on the world. 

Suddenly feeling energized and determined, she went back to her room, got dressed, slipped her jacket and shoes on, and left. As she was leaving, she saw it was 3 am. Still dark outside. Perfect time for a night on the town.

Natalie needed a drink.

Bloodhound silently entered the living room, and gently closing the door behind them as they slipped off their jacket. Luckily, it was too early for anybody to be up. Or too late, depending on how you look at it.

Carefully, they crept across the floor and to their room before anybody could see-

“Bloodhound? Is that you?” Pathfinder said, their shadow casting across the light of the kitchen.

“Shh, Pathfinder be quiet,” They said, holding a finger to their lips. “Yes, it’s me,”

“Why aren’t you wearing your mask?” He asked, their voice still as loud and obnoxious as ever.

“It’s complicated, Path, just…” They trailed off, wringing their hands nervously. “...you can’t tell anybody you saw me like this…”

“Okay, I can do that. Have a good night, Bloodhound.” He said as they walked past them and to his room. Bloodhound had to do a double-take. Was Pathfinder carrying a plate of...nachos? They shook their head and rushed into their bedroom. As quickly as they could, they undressed and pulled a hoodie over their head, tightening the hood around them as tightly as they could, then buried themself under their covers, basking in the warmth and comfort. 

They heard Artur cawing at their sudden appearance, but they didn’t answer. Their heart pounded in their ears, and their face was twisted into a smile as they thought of the charming Elliot and his gorgeous smile.

Renee jolted as her head lolled to the side, snapping her awake. She had fallen asleep in her chair...again. Her mouth opened wide into a yawn, and she couldn’t help but stretch. 

She reached for her pitcher of bourbon, and as she went to pour it, she found it empty. Her flask was too. 

“Fuck,” She muttered, starting to panic. 

Renee opened her drawer, digging through each one to look for a speck of alcohol anywhere.

There was none.

Grumbling, she grabbed her jacket and keys and left for the door. She needed a drink. Now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is kind of a quick update because i want to get something done, but i promise the next chapter will be a little more...interesting ;)


End file.
